


Of Love and Politics

by Texan_Red_Rose



Category: RWBY
Genre: Drama & Romance, Dysfunctional Family, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-03
Updated: 2017-07-04
Packaged: 2018-11-22 23:56:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,448
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11391072
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Texan_Red_Rose/pseuds/Texan_Red_Rose
Summary: Weiss Schnee, the Governor's daughter, has had quite enough. [Monochrome, two-shot]





	1. Politics

**Author's Note:**

> This is based on the prompt "So you have a photo of me with a prostitute. So what." submitted by an anon on tumblr. About time I got it uploaded her, lol. Schnee family drama with Monochrome following next chapter.

Weiss watched the way her father paced in front of the fireplace, never once allowing her posture to falter. The study's walls once felt stifling and oppressive, the eyes in the paintings all looking down upon her, the busts judging her as well- mental tricks she'd outgrown, but ones he still wished to play, hoping that setting the field in his favor would improve the outcome. She'd only seen him this incensed once before, and that was back when he still worried about being caught raising a hand to his children; she doubted this fiasco would turn out any better. A stab of phantom pain attempted to close her left eye but she muscled through it, tilting her chin up when his furious gaze fell on her, the folder in his hand held up between them.

They'd done this song and dance far too many times. Ever since he assumed the office of Governor after her grandfather's term ended, the man had done everything in his power to portray the family _exactly_ as he wanted them to appear to the press. Every movement was measured, every faltering step remarked upon endlessly, and she'd grown up fully expecting that she had no other choice but to walk the path he'd mapped out for her, to one day assume the office herself and continue the Schnees' impressive hold over the state. That meant she could be nothing short of perfect, entirely scandal free, and beyond reproach on every front. The whole routine exhausted her but she kept up appearances well enough, though his irrational barking occurred more frequently now. He had to know she was faking it by this point and he was purposely pushing her, seeing if she'd break and allow him to remold her into the image he desired for her.

But she was never quite as brittle as he thought.

"What. Is the meaning. Of this." There, between the words, lay an accusation, but one he didn't give voice, hoping he could scare her into begging forgiveness first. In her youth, that tactic worked all too well for a girl starved for affection, any bit of evidence that might imply a little care was latched onto without second thought, even if that form of caring was a toxic, vile thing. Which is worse? Drinking from a poisoned well or dying of dehydration? Which hurts less?

The truth is: neither. And she'd grown far too jaded by his tricks to be deluded by the idea that her father's attention- his ire, his hypercritical gaze, his backhanded compliment- was just as good as his love. She wasn't even sure if the latter existed anymore and she had no interest in finding out. "It's a folder, Father, and it's typically meant to hold documents-"

"Do _not_ get smart with me, young lady." He sneered, taking two steps closer to tower over her. Another tactic that worked when she was nothing more than a child, a role he was trying to force her back into against her will. At twenty five, however, it did nothing more than tickle her pride, her lacking height still something of a sore spot that only seemed placated by a good set of heels. The diminutive moniker meant nothing to her and it must've shown, his expression twisting a little further into rage. "You know quite well what's in here… or are you going to make me say it?"

Weiss raised a brow, meeting her father's eyes- so unlike her own- evenly. "Father, whatever it is you're overreacting about _this_ time-"

Rather than allow her to finish, he flung the folder at her, with enough force and accuracy to hit her in her face were her reflexes not so sharp. Perhaps hitting a full basket's worth of tennis balls every other week didn't just provide catharsis for her ever growing list of vexations as of late. In no particular hurry, she opened the folder, surprised to see it filled with only a single photograph. Either he kept the others for blackmail or he'd overpaid for a very poorly done job; both options amused her. Rather than deal with her father immediately, though, she looked over the picture, fighting to keep her expression neutral.

There was no mistaking the timing. Last weekend down by the docks- one of their more recent ventures- she walked arm-in-arm along the boardwalk with someone who'd captured her attention and her heart, her companion sagging slightly against the shorter woman. Blake should've been sleeping, seeing as she spent her nights working, but the Faunus insisted they visit the fish market, a once-a-month affair that served as her best chance to get fresh tuna. Weiss indulged, even going so far as to carry the smelly package back to her companion's apartment, and all the while gently teasing the tired Faunus about her priorities. It was only with a little prodding that her companion relented to getting _some_ rest, leaving the fish in the fridge with the promise they could eat it later, and she could still remember the way those amber eyes had lit up when she awoke from her nap- raven mane tousled and ears flicking in random patterns- to the smell of cooked tuna hanging heavy in the air. Blake had completely missed the look of barefaced relief on the woman's face, too busy devouring the meal set out for her; cooking, Weiss had found, was _not_ her forte, but she'd somehow managed to follow the directions closely enough this time.

Just as it did then, leaning against the entryway to the small living room of the Faunus' apartment, the corner of her mouth twitched, the urge to smile fondly at the photograph rising within her and forcing her to look away. Such tender emotions had no place in the man's presence. "Well, Father, I'm no expert, but I think the composition is rather striking. Should I have it framed?"

He glared down at her, color rising up his neck. "I catch you red-handed jeopardizing all we've worked for and cheap sarcasm is the best you have to offer in response." The man turned, the floodgates opened as more vitriol poured from his mouth while he stalked around her, a wolf goading her into running so he could bleed her dry. "The years I've spent forging your contacts, working to have you included on every possible committee, running your campaigns from behind the scenes- twenty years of work to continue this family's legacy, and for what? For you to throw it away on a _whore_?"

Weiss drew in a slow, steady breath, beating down the indignation that sparked, smothering it under the layer of ice she'd once used to protect her heart from the world. She wanted to show her emotions more than anything- anger, disbelief, exasperation- but did her best to remain neutral; now that all the cards were on the table, she could play the game accordingly. "So you have a photo of me with a prostitute. So what?" She lifted both shoulders in a nonchalant shrug. "We're hardly doing anything inappropriate."

"Have you no shame?" He jabbed a finger at the photo in her lap. "The moment this breaks- when the reporters find out you're consorting with such disreputable company, what will you say? You think anyone will vote for you once they find out?" He swept an arm around. "This family _owns_ the Governor's mansion- the Schnees have held the office for three generations and counting- and you're gambling all of that for what? Twenty minutes a week with a wild animal?"

She thought back to the hours spent in Blake's company, quiet moments while reading together in the early morning light before the Faunus retired, and others filled with laughter. She thought of the café they frequented, hands wrapped around their cups- earl grey with a little milk in one, espresso in the other- and sharing a muffin or croissant while watching people pass the window. And she thought of the first time they met, at an art gallery, both of them admiring a beautiful painting of the Vale countryside.

If anything, the only time she spent in the presence of a wild animal were whenever she entered this room.

"Don't lecture me about _my_ family's history," she replied sharply. "When they ask, I will tell them the simple truth: that I'm dating a beautiful Faunus whom I care for very deeply and she's of excellent character." Weiss closed the folder and held it out, offering it back to the man with indifference. "She comes by her work honestly, she maintains an impeccable degree of professionalism, and she's highly recommended, from what I hear." Again, she shrugged, a small smile on her lips. "I wouldn't know, as of yet. We're taking things slow."

At first, his eyes widened, seemingly unable to comprehend her words. More likely, he simply didn't _want_ to hear them, unwilling to come to terms with the fact that he didn't hold power over her anymore. After all these years of grooming her to take his place, here she was throwing it back at him full force, and all with a pleasant smile. When it sank in, she watched as his rage returned even stronger, the vein in his temple beginning to show as he clenched his fists.

"I see you find this funny, like a child rebelling against their betters out of spite- a myopic decision at best."

"You are _not_ better than me and you certainly aren't better than Blake," she replied, rising out of her chair and lightly tossing the manila folder onto his desk. "If this is all you called me in here for-"

"You will _not_ continue soliciting her, young lady! Or even _seeing_ her! I _forbid_ it!" His voice rose, the words bouncing off the walls, and she recognized that terrible echo. Deep down, she recoiled, all too aware that the step he took towards her exemplified both a threat and a promise. If he thought it would get him his way, he wouldn't hesitate to raise a hand towards her.

Sometimes, she thought herself a fool for playing along all these years, and she envied the strength and determination her sister had to walk away at the first opportunity.

"I will do whatever I want. Or whoever, in this case." Weiss met his gaze and raised her voice in equal measure, refusing to back down even as the words left her mouth. If one of them was to break tonight, it _wouldn't_ be her. "Regardless, your claim is baseless at best. I've never once 'solicited' my girlfriend and our relationship is the business of no one but ourselves. If you or anyone else feels the need to question it, all that should matter is that she cares about me and treats me well- which is more than I can ever say for you." Her eyes narrowed. "I'm not a doll for you to pose however you see fit. I'm a person first and foremost, and I can handle the fallout of any decision I make, which includes the reporters and pretentiously scandalized hypocrites like yourself. All I have to do is politely remind the lot of them that it was _you_ who ensured she could be legally employed in the first place and point out that the lingering stigma regarding her chosen line of work is as antiquated as its illegality."

"Generating revenue through taxable occupations is _worlds away_ from condoning such heinous acts, Weiss, and you well know that."

"What I _know_ is that I love Blake more than I will ever care for your opinion."

The man took one more step- his final warning- before growling out what might once have been her worst nightmare. "If you will not see reason, I'll have no choice but to disown you. You'll never amount to anything without _this family_ to prop you up."

Once upon a time, she might've believed that in its totality, and part of it still rang true. Certainly, her political career would be over; her father would use every resource available to the Schnee name in his bid to destroy any chance she had of ever holding office. And that, she decided, was perfectly fine with her. She had other skills- some well developed and others just past the point of discovery- and she'd discarded the notion that the only 'respectable' occupations were found on some unwritten list. More importantly, what she 'amounted to' already far surpassed what he gave her credit for, and being free of the taint Jacques had attached to her family name would only serve to improve what she could become.

Weiss straightened her shoulders, bracing herself even as her voice returned to normal, a clear note of finality in her tone. "Very well. Consider me disowned." Her eyes narrowed, chin tilting up defiantly. "Just know that, of all the legacies you'll leave, Father, the one you'll be remembered for most is how you drove _both_ your daughters to forsake the lineage you _married into_ , all because you couldn't raise a child half as well as you could run a state." She could've left it at that- should've, really- but, for once, she gave in to the desire to drive the knife deeper, some part of her subconscious acknowledging that this might very well be the last time she had the opportunity. "And, considering your recent polls, I'd say most voters don't think you can do that too well, either."

The words landed with all the force of an explosion, a moment of disoriented incredulity splayed across the man's face before it twisted in rage. One hand raised, a balled fist as opposed to the open palms she earned in her youth, but the motion was immediately halted by the door bursting open, slamming against the wall and bouncing back towards the woman who'd opened it.

The room's occupants froze in surprise as Willow Schnee, the ever present yet hardly relevant matriarch of the family, took a moment to gather her bearings, wincing at her own obnoxiously loud entrance before recovering. She strode into the room, hair and robe flowing behind her as she made her way towards the well stocked cabinet on the far side of the study, which housed the family's most expensive collection of wines. The Governor's mansion never lacked for such signs of wealth and status, a more robust stockpile housed down in the cellar, but these bottles served as hallmarks of the Schnee's opulence.

Mostly because her mother drank them like water. "What argument have I interrupted this time?"

Her voice spoke of weariness, as it usually did. Off hand, Weiss couldn't remember a time when the woman seemed genuinely invested in the world around her, her every word speaking volumes of how little she cared about anything aside from the contents of her glass. How they managed to sound so crisp regardless of her inebriation remained a mystery.

"I've just been disowned," she said, opting for the direct route. It wasn't for her mother's sake; hearing the words- spoken in her own voice- helped solidify her decision, the tangible reality of it. Curiously, it brought a determined smile to her lips. It didn't matter how poorly this might go in the short term, she thought, because eventually she would find a way to be stable again, but without the crushing expectation of her father's impossible standards weighing down her soul.

"Have you now?" Her mother scoffed, reaching her destination and opening the cabinet. She swayed where she stood, apparently taking a moment to blink the world back into enough focus to make her selection. "I'm glad I was consulted on such matters. Really makes the impact of being disowned by a family so much stronger when there's more than one person being included in said group."

The man turned, gritting his teeth in agitation now split between both women in the room. "Willow-"

"Shut up, Jacques. You've done enough." Looking over her shoulder, her mother fixed him with a hazy glare, blue eyes sharpening for just a moment, as if it was possible to simply shake off a drunken stupor like most would shed their jacket. "After all, you've made your decision, haven't you? Or are you going to back down and beg her to stay?"

His silence spoke volumes. Pride and arrogance kept the words locked behind his teeth, impotent fury making his shoulders shake as his wife effectively backed him into a corner. Why her grandfather had chosen to let him take the office instead of his own daughter baffled Weiss; even saturated in alcohol, her mother still had a quicker wit and sharper tongue than half the boring old men who held offices in their state alone.

"Predictable." The woman turned back to the cabinet, glass clinking together as she rummaged through the bottles. "Between the three of you, you've always been the most spineless, Jacques, relying on their fear to masquerade your own cowardice. It's about time Winter-" her mother paused, looked over her shoulder again, then continued "Weiss called you on your bluff."

Mentally, she debated reminding her mother that she had a son, too, but opted against it. Whitley wholeheartedly embraced their father's way of thinking; it seemed only fitting to let him reap the benefits of that decision himself.

Retrieving two bottles from the cabinet, she left it open and turned around, her attention now focused on her younger daughter. "What was it, if I may ask? What heresy finally broke the scales in this imbalanced war for power, hmmm?"

There were many ways to phrase the answer, but again she went with the blunt option. She figured her mother would appreciate that. "I'm dating a lovely Faunus and father takes umbrage with the fact she's employed as an escort."

"A fancy way of saying 'whore'." He supplied.

"I'm well aware of what an escort is, Jacques; I'm drunk, not stupid." His wife drawled, rolling her eyes for emphasis. "Once again, I advise you to shut up; you're doing nothing but polishing your coffin at this point. The grave's already been dug." She crossed the room, a bottle in each hand and a tilt to her head, as if keeping her balance was a particularly taxing endeavor, but her gaze seemed to catch on the manila folder still sitting on the desk. "I suppose that's his evidence against you?"

"It's rather damning," Weiss replied, retrieving the picture within and presenting it towards her mother.

"An actual folder for just one? How pointlessly dramatic." The woman bent closer, inspecting the photograph with a pinched brow. "Can't make out her face too well, seeing as she's buried in your shoulder. Such compelling evidence."

Pulling her scroll out of her jacket pocket, she set the picture and folder back on the desk with one hand while the other dug into the subfolders she'd created to keep her private photos away from curious onlookers. "She was tired."

"Given what I assume to be her work schedule, I'm not surprised." Her mother stopped, looking around the darkened study, the curtains drawn tight. "Speaking of, what time is it?"

"It's midday, Mother, just past noon." Finding a suitable example- one of the times Blake's mischievous nature took hold, the scroll snapping pictures of them both while they wrestled for control of the device- she offered up the picture for the woman to scrutinize. "Her name's Blake."

"She's rather pretty. Fantastic smile, and I like the way she does her make-up. It's a shame, really; she probably knows how to navigate a conversation better than half the upstarts whose only claim to fame is being well bred. Whatever _that_ means." Straightening up, her mother held out one of the bottles. "Here, a liberation present. Go enjoy it with her."

"Thank you." Tucking her scroll away, she accepted the bottle- a white wine, of course, and amusingly enough one that would pair excellently with tuna- before turning towards the door. "Goodbye, Mother."

"Oh, and Weiss?" Before leaving the study, she turned, meeting the woman's gaze. "Do yourself a favor: don't come back. Whatever awaits you out there will be worth much more than what you leave behind here."

She paused, then nodded and left the study without another word. Honestly, she'd had a bag packed since Winter left- filled with essentials and the bank information for an account she'd opened up under an alias- and recently she'd expanded that just a little, sensing the noose tightening around her neck. Her first order of business would be retrieving the two suitcases and backpack she'd prepared, and then she'd find a hotel room for the short term, waiting for the sun to inch towards the horizon.

As soon as Blake awoke, she would call. They… had some things to talk about.


	2. Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I own nothing. I am genuinely surprised so many of y'all enjoyed my depiction of Mama Schnee. Probably gonna be jossed by canon whenever she shows up... anyway. This one is based on the prompt "Fuck you, fuck them and fuck everything" submitted by maburito on tumblr. I changed the quote a bit to make it fit better. Also, a bit longer, because I can't ever help myself in regards to these two. Also, this chapter will talk about Blake's occupation a few times, but no specifics, hence the T rating.

Weiss sat on the bench, checking her scroll for the umpteenth time since she sat down. She'd already made reservations at a hotel- a three star one just a few blocks away, which she guessed would be the last place anyone would think to look for her- but hadn't checked in yet, a rare sort of nervous excitement scattering her normal priorities. Talking to Winter helped, both to pass the time and to shake off some of the residual energy from being finally freed of the weight her father imposed upon her. They'd made plans to meet up in a few weeks, when next the woman's work brought her to town. Weiss was happy to hear that she'd be bringing someone else along, too. Winter wasn't very specific on the details, though.

"Believe me, Weiss, it's an experience I'd rather not have sullied by prior knowledge." Despite not hearing her voice in months, their private calls kept secret from the rest of the family, she could hear the smile in her sister's voice, and it made her own grow a little wider. "You'll just have to wait until you meet her."

She checked her scroll again. A full minute had passed since the last time she'd looked, which at least was progress. Weiss mentally kicked herself for making this decision; she should've had the taxi drop her off at the hotel instead. Taking any of the cars- even the ones in _her_ name- would likely end with a repossession service hunting her down, so she'd left with just the two suitcases sitting by her feet and the backpack on the other side, plus her favorite skirt and jacket combo. If nothing else, she could at least honor her mother's only request of her.

However, that left her with surprisingly little to do. Blake's schedule, although atypical, was fairly predictable; her first appointment started at eight or eight thirty, depending on the client's schedule, unless she scheduled a early evening appointment, which was rare. Having high dollar customers and booking several hours of her time together tended to yield better profit than smaller requests, or so she'd said a few months back. She typically woke up at five thirty, giving her enough time to eat and prepare for the night. Sometimes, she'd sleep in until six, if the first appointment was later or some sort of dinner arrangement was included in the night's activities. Either way, seeing as it wasn't even two, the Faunus wouldn't be awake for hours yet, and waiting at the bus stop outside her apartment complex seemed a tad ridiculous in hindsight. Better than sitting outside her door, of course, but still too eager.

It wasn't without cause, she reasoned while biting her lip in thought. No doubt the Governor would be forced to make a statement at some point, much as he did when Winter left- their lives were tied too closely to political machinations for their disappearances to go unnoticed. Once that hit the news, everyone would know, and she would _like_ to at least tell Blake face-to-face, if only to avoid the inevitable conclusion she might arrive at without clarification. Jacques would do his best to imply that her departure from the family had something to do with a particular person, which the Faunus would likely take to mean her. That wasn't true, but he'd do his best to frame the situation as such.

Weiss bit the inside of her cheek, mentally acknowledging the slight fib. To some degree, it was, but Blake wasn't the _cause_ for her being disowned. If anything, her importance to Weiss simply functioned as the final straw in a strained relationship that should've disintegrated years ago. Her girlfriend would be skeptical of that, of course, no matter how many times she'd made comments over the course of their relationship about her growing resentment towards her father, but that was why she wanted to be the one to inform the Faunus. There was also a niggling fear in the back of her mind that, somehow, this would change their relationship, or end it outright. A silly notion, truly, but one that refused to abate all the same.

She _really wanted_ to talk to Blake, to silence that terrible little voice of doubt in the very back of her mind for good, but she didn't want to be rude. Eventually, Blake would come out to head to work, and she usually didn't check the news until she was finished with her first appointment.

"But watch today be the one time she _does_ check." She muttered aloud, shaking her head slightly. Impatience certainly qualified as one of her less-than-stellar qualities. And there were other variables to consider, too; sometimes, Blake woke earlier so she could spend time with friends, or catch up on a book or TV show, or simply could sleep as late as she wanted. She might already be awake.

A slim chance, but it existed all the same, and it taunted Weiss with the prospect of just calling her to see if she'd pick up. But, _of course_ Blake would answer if she called in the middle of the day. She obviously knew the Faunus' schedule, so the only reason to call would be an emergency, and while this qualified as a major life event, she hesitated to mark it as something worthy of sacrificing her girlfriend's sleep over. Especially if things… didn't go as well as she hoped.

She could knock on the door, though. Blake would hear it if she was awake but usually slept through her neighbors going through their daily routines; that was a suitable compromise, right? If the Faunus was still asleep, she could simply walk to the hotel, check in, and come back at five; if not, well, then problem solved.

Resolute in her plan- and mentally chiding herself to _stick to it this time_ \- Weiss grabbed both her suitcases and headed towards Blake's apartment. The complex itself sat in the suburbs, a nice neighborhood where most people worked regular nine-to-five jobs, and, though they could never measure up to the Governor's mansion, each unit had a decent amount of space for the price. The Faunus lived in one of the back corner buildings, on the second floor, and in a manner of minutes, Weiss found herself standing at the bottom of the staircase leading to Blake's door. She climbed them carefully, anxious about making too much noise, and then about not checking in at the hotel first. With her backpack and suitcases, there would be little doubt as to her material standing now that she had no intentions of collecting the rest of her worldly possessions. She didn't want her girlfriend's pity; of all the emotions to feel, despondent or upset about this turn of events were the furthest from her mind, so there really was no reason for the situation to be looked at as one of misfortune.

By the time she arrived at the landing, Weiss found herself hoping Blake was still asleep, if only to give her a chance to do this _right_. She shouldn't have been so eager, really, but now that she was here, she might as well knock and find out. If worst came to worst, she'd simply reassure her girlfriend that everything was fine.

That made it sound _far_ too easy, of course, and logically there had to be _something_ to complicate things, she mused as she stepped onto the landing. Perhaps if she set her suitcases behind her, she could deliver the news to Blake- provided she was awake- and end the conversation before the full extent of her situation became known. She could always stall actually inviting her girlfriend to the hotel room or the apartment she would inevitably get until it actually looked presentable. Plus, this might all be in vain anyway, so she should really just get the knocking over with quickly and retreat to her hotel room to marshal her thoughts and-

Suddenly, the apartment door swung open, the very Faunus she'd come to see stepping out and almost bumping into her, obviously not expecting someone to be waiting on her stoop. Her expression immediately pinched into one of annoyance at the unexpected obstacle, but the moment amber eyes met blue, Blake smiled.

"Weiss? What are you-" Surprise morphed into worry in the blink of an eye as she caught sight of the backpack and suitcases, ears falling. "What happened? Are you okay?"

"Absolutely, better than okay, in fact." She smiled, hoping to dull her girlfriend's concern. "I'm sorry for dropping by unannounced and I'll be quick; I just wanted to be the first to tell you-"

"You can tell me in a minute," the Faunus said, reaching forward and grabbing one of the suitcases from her hand. She didn't fight to keep it, partially because her arms _were_ getting tired and also because her mind had gone a bit numb. While Blake tended towards flattering, high end dresses for her work clothes, right now she wore a plain black T shirt with a jean jacket, plus dark denim pants, and the simplicity of the ensemble just brought out her natural shine. Aside from a touch of purple eye shadow, she'd forgone make-up, and she had to shake herself to catch up with her girlfriend's actions. "First, come inside."

"Oh, I don't want to be a bother; I just-"

"Weiss, Love, you're not a bother. I was just running to the grocery store, and that can wait." Blake pushed the door open, stepping into the apartment and throwing a smirk over her shoulder. "Whatever you have to tell me, you can say it while we're sitting on the couch, right? So why pass up the opportunity?"

"You… do make a convincing argument." The former politician chuckled, crossing the threshold and setting her backpack and remaining suitcase down by the door, which her girlfriend closed before depositing the suitcase she'd grabbed beside the other. They both made their way to the couch in the Faunus' living room, sitting down side-by-side for just a moment before slim hands slipped around the woman's waist, pulling her more firmly into Blake's body. Although she had half a mind to protest- the news she wished to impart could potentially affect their relationship, after all, and she wanted to tread lightly just in case- she'd learned early on that her girlfriend enjoyed cuddling and that she certainly did as well, making her reluctant to turn down the physical affection.

The Faunus hummed, taking a moment to shrug out of her jacket and toss it over the arm of the couch before resuming their position. "There, much better."

"Are we comfortable enough for me to tell you now?"

"I'm all ears." She flicked her feline appendages intentionally to punctuate her reply, pulling a light laugh from the woman.

However, she quickly sobered up, having mentally rehearsed what she would say half a hundred times over the past few hours and finding all of them lacking. She could've obsessed over the proper word choice for days without coming any closer to the perfect way to say it, so instead she simply turned to look her girlfriend in the eye, finding nothing but patience and encouragement awaiting her. "My father threatened to disown me today and I called him on his bluff. If I haven't been already, I will soon be entirely disavowed by the Schnee family and I have no intention of ever going back. Everything I own is in those bags and I _could not_ be happier."

The positive phrasing did nothing to stop the look of shocked horror that came over the Faunus' expression, her relaxed posture immediately straightening as she grabbed Weiss by the shoulders. "What do you mean you'll be disavowed?"

"Well, it's similar to being disowned, legally speaking-"

"I _don't_ need a definition." Blake quickly waved her off, brows pinching together. "Your father wouldn't go that far unless something happened, something he didn't like and got upset over. What happened? Are you sure you're alright?" Amber eyes quickly began scanning her form, lithe fingers pulling back the collar of her jacket. "He didn't lay a hand on you, did he? Did he get violent at all? Did-"

"Love, stop." Although it probably wasn't an entirely appropriate time to do so, Weiss felt a chuckle leave her lips all the same, grabbing her girlfriend's wrists to earn the Faunus' undivided attention. "I'm fine and he didn't touch me. He wanted to, of course, but my mother walked in at just the right time and it stopped him." Noting Blake's surprise, she relayed the events- and her own shock- regarding her mother's inebriated intervention. The Schnee matriarch had failed to protect her in the past but, today, she came through, and while it didn't erase her failings as a mother, it did at least leave her daughter's impression of her markedly higher than it had ever been. "Aside from some unkind words, nothing of note happened. I'm free of my family, my father specifically, and I'm quite alright with that. In fact, I think I'm a little… giddy."

Begrudgingly, the Faunus smiled, one hand coming to cup her cheek and stroke fondly just beneath the scar marring her left eye. To the public, it was the result of a horseback riding accident years ago, but she'd told Blake the truth after four months of being together. She couldn't explain why; if she tried to articulate it, it had something to do with wanting to mark her girlfriend's presence in her life, the significant impact she'd left by trading a closely guarded secret with the one person she could trust with it. It didn't make a great deal of sense- wanting to impart the ugly side of her family history as a means of showing gratitude- but that was perhaps the closest she could come to explain the bizarre impulse regardless.

"You avoided my first question though." Blake pointed out, softness in her tone. "What started all this?"

If she tried to deflect again, that would be just as good as confirming the Faunus' worst fears. "My father found out about us and demanded that I end our relationship." Her ears drooped immediately, gaze darting away as she tried to turn and create space between them. Weiss refused to allow it, sliding her arms around her girlfriend's waist and pulling them together. "Don't-"

"Which part did he object to?" Anger curled on her tongue, not directed at the woman but heard all the same. "The fact that I'm a Faunus or my job?"

They'd had this talk at the beginning, how things might go if they were ever discovered. Between the two of them, Blake often enforced keeping them under the radar more than she did, a bit too aware of the lingering stigma regarding her occupation. She made no apologies for it- something Weiss always respected and even admired about the Faunus- and would lecture anyone trying to make her feel poorly for her chosen line of work, but being an advocate for fair treatment only went so far. Her girlfriend never wanted the future politician to face a scandal because of her, far too aware of how things might look to the outside observer. It wasn't that Weiss didn't recognize the potential for trouble but, just as she had when in her father's presence, it never registered to her to care overly much. What Blake did to pay her bills was, at the end of the day, just that, and she believed and trusted her girlfriend's word on that front. If others chose to doubt, that was their problem, and she had no time to reassure others in regards to something she felt they had absolutely no right to be concerned over in the first place.

Bringing up the argument again, though, would get them nowhere, so instead she opted for replying with the truth.

"Both, frankly. He tried to frame it as only the latter but it wouldn't take a particularly clever person to see through that." She looked up, trying to catch Blake's eyes even as she remained fixated on a spot near the door. "In the end, it wouldn't matter. You could've met every ridiculous standard he set and he would object anyway. It's all about control-"

"Weiss…" The Faunus sighed, finally meeting her gaze even as her ears laid back fully. "I know you're right. I do. But… being disowned- this changes everything for you, and it's because of me."

"It doesn't change _everything_ , Blake. It just eliminates the parts I didn't want to keep anyway." She sighed, anticipating the rebuttal and nodding slightly to concede the point before it was made. "Yes, some part of me truly looked forward to one day taking my grandfather's place as Governor. That's not going to be possible now and I know that, but it's a small price to pay for my freedom." She shrugged. "So what if I can't be a politician? I'll find another line of work to pay the bills. At the end of the day, I can live with never being Governor if it means I can live my life without him breathing down my neck. I believe it's more than a fair trade." She moved, releasing her hold on her girlfriend to instead take the Faunus' hands in hers. "You didn't cause this, Blake; you gave me the strength to walk away from a toxic environment. I'm not doing this _for_ you; I'm doing this _thanks_ to you, and my gratitude is entirely sincere. Please, believe that."

Amber eyes watched her as her girlfriend bit her lip, her feline ears slowly rising up from raven tresses. Although seeming reluctant in doing so, Blake eventually nodded, accepting her reasoning. "I do. I just hope you don't regret this."

"Regret what? _Not_ subjecting myself to scrutiny every single day, spending every ounce of energy just trying to keep from another lecture on my every flaw, and doing everything in my power to try and make it through to the next day, hoping things might miraculously improve?" She rolled her eyes, hoping her flippant tone would be taken the way she intended. "Yes, I can see how that might be a concern."

Thankfully, Blake's hands squeezed her own. "You know what I mean."

"Of course I do." She smiled, bending down to press a kiss to the back of the Faunus' right hand. "I just have the benefit of knowing that I won't ever regret leaving that place. What awaits me out here is _much_ better."

Part of her wanted to say 'with you', because that would be appropriately romantic given the circumstances, but she didn't want to add to the implication that she walked away solely so she could continue seeing Blake. It might put the Faunus under undue pressure, as if she _had_ to make the relationship work or else everything Weiss had given up would be in vain. Although it pained her heart to even think it, she also acknowledged that, were they ever to part ways, she would rather live out her life in anonymity and be buried in an unmarked grave before she'd ask to be taken back under the Schnee name. As far as she was concerned, she had no surname and no family aside from Winter, and whether or not Blake stayed by her side until they were old and gray or broke up with her tomorrow wouldn't change that.

She'd made her decision.

Finally, her girlfriend smiled, pulling her closer and wrapping her arms around the woman's shoulders, pressing a kiss to white locks. She nuzzled into the contact, silently relieved that the tension in her girlfriend's shoulders seemed to ebb until she relaxed fully, the two of them sitting on the couch and quietly holding each other for several minutes. Despite it being hardly into the afternoon, Weiss felt her eyelids beginning to droop, simply too comfortable to consider _not_ falling asleep. What she'd told her father was nothing short of the truth; despite dating someone who worked in the sex industry, the two hadn't slept together in such an intimate manner as of yet. The most they'd done, aside from kissing, was fall asleep, usually on this very couch, while watching a movie or TV show, or in the middle of a conversation whenever the Faunus had a very strenuous night. The temptation to do so now almost overpowered her sensible side, doing everything it could to push down the reminder than Blake was just about to head out prior to their conversation and the polite thing to do would be to allow her to return to her errands. A few moments more, she told herself, sighing happily while giving her girlfriend a brief squeeze.

The Faunus, however, had other ideas, murmuring softly. "Not to be a downer, but, this kinda takes the punch out of my surprise."

"You had a surprise for me?" Drawing back just enough so she could look up into her girlfriend's face, Weiss raised a brow at the nod of affirmation she received.

"I was going grocery shopping so I could cook and tell you over dinner." She smirked. " _Schnweinebraten_ , with sauerkraut and dumplings on the side, plus a nice wine to celebrate."

She couldn't help pouting just a little but did her best to hide it; that quite easily constituted her favorite meal, after all, so having it dangled in front of her with the implication it wouldn't happen made her stomach protest quietly. Come to think of it, she hadn't eaten much throughout the day, being called into the meeting with her father before lunch and being too engrossed in the whirlwind of emotions afterwards to even think about sustenance. "I didn't mean to ruin your surprise."

"I know you didn't and it's not ruined." Blake lightly traced her fingers around the shell of the woman's ear, brushing a few locks back into place. "Just… a little too late, even if it wouldn't do much good." At that, her pout transformed into a pinched expression, confusion mixed with trepidation. "I got a new job."

"What? But I thought you enjoyed being an escort?" And then the Faunus' previous sentence registered, now given proper context, and Weiss jolted away, shocked. "Blake, don't tell me you quit because of me-"

"Oh no, don't you start." The Faunus quickly flicked the tip of her nose, ears forming a flat line across the top of her head. "If I'm not allowed to think you were disowned because of _me_ , then you don't get to think I got a new job because of _you_ , okay?" The severity in her expression lessened, a small smile playing across her lips. "Besides, it's not quite as dramatic and I had more than enough time to change my mind. I submitted my notice two weeks ago; last night was my final appointment and I start at the new place on Monday." She shrugged one shoulder, looking away briefly. "I thought we could take the weekend to celebrate… depending on your schedule."

"Well, it's certainly a lot freer than it would've been yesterday." She chuckled, pleased to hear the soft laugh from her girlfriend's lips. Still, worry coiled around her heart as she was torn in two places at once. "Blake… if it wasn't because of me… then why?"

Her girlfriend's smile disappeared, lips pressing into a thin line, but not out of anger. Instead, she seemed focused, intent, thoughtfully constructing her answer before replying. "I became an escort because it fulfilled my needs and my wants- it paid the bills and let me be in charge of my schedule. I had plenty of time for my reading, most of my friends are nightowls, and you're right. I enjoyed it. Plus, I was _very_ good at it, but in the end a job's all I ever saw it as: not a long term career, just something to tide me over. I always planned on finding something different when my wants or needs changed. And then they did." Her lips curled into a soft smile. "I met you. We've worked around both our schedules as much as possible but I feel like, despite dating for seven months, I've hardly spent any time with you, and yet every minute is worth more to me than I can articulate." She moved her hand, cupping the woman's jaw tenderly. "As the months wore on, the more I got to know you and the less my job felt like a good fit. That isn't what I want anymore." She gave a small shrug, as if the conclusion was obvious. "So I quit."

Tears pricked at her eyes, overwhelming hope igniting in her chest at the warm, gentle expression on her girlfriend's face. "What do you want now?"

"I want to wake up with you on Sunday mornings, Weiss." The Faunus drew them closer together, her voice dropping in volume as the distance closed. "I want to go to dinner, then a movie, and then fall asleep making jokes about it. I want to call you in the middle of the afternoon because I missed you and wanted to hear your voice." Amber eyes sparkled, a thousand daydreams playing across the bright orbs before she blinked, bringing the former politician back to her words. "When it comes right down to it, I couldn't do that with our schedules the way they were. Half the time we spent together was me fighting to stay awake, and sometimes failing, and the rest was the other way around because we sleep at opposite times of the day. I know- ah, well, I _thought_ your schedule wouldn't change, that your position would always demand a lot from you, and I appreciate all you've done to make time for us."

"You put in quite a bit of effort too, you know." Their faces were separated by mere inches now, breath mingling in the space between them. Intimate, as if the world beyond their little bubble no longer existed- and, for all intents and purposes, it might as well not have.

"We both did, but my point is that something had to change. From where I stood, I wasn't getting what I needed or wanted. I got enough… but I want more. More of a social life, more of a reasonable schedule, and more of _us_. I decided it's time I started looking for a career, or at least a job that doesn't have me up at two in the morning, staring at my phone and wishing I could call you but knowing you're asleep." She leaned into her girlfriend's touch, biting her lip slightly to hide the smile that threatened to erupt. As a matter of course, her former occupation demanded the politician not be swayed to action by mere words, but Blake always had a way of twisting the syllables around her tongue and drawing the woman in effortlessly. "I thought a nine-to-five would be better; I could be home in the evenings, go to bed at a reasonable hour, wake up with you. Plus, it's… slightly more respectable."

 _That_ snapped her out of her hazy reverie, blue eyes alight at the word choice. That same misguided foolishness those outdated fools clung to, that there might be some shame inherent in fulfilling a need, that her customer's sometimes terrible decisions somehow reflected back upon her instead of the one who made them. Shifting blame for misjudgments infuriated Weiss, partly because _she_ used to be just like that. She'd grown, she'd changed, and she was better for it; why some allowed themselves to hide behind the useless bluster of indignation for their own faults instead of evolving as a person perplexed and vexed her to no end.

However, the tirade at the tip of her tongue never made it beyond that point, a finger quickly pressed to pale lips to stifle her words. "I know what you're going to say, and that it really doesn't matter now, but the point still stands, Love." Her ears drooped slightly as she shrugged. "With you in the public eye, people would criticize me for my job choice. It doesn't matter how wrong or outdated their hate is, it would still be there. We can't change the world by snapping our fingers; it would take _years_ to fight that battle. In the meantime, I'd still hardly see you, and that just won't work for me anymore."

"It still sounds like you quit your job because of me." It wasn't a bad thing, necessarily, but she didn't want Blake feeling like she made a mistake were they to part ways. She didn't plan on that coming to pass, of course, yet it sat at the back of her mind.

"To borrow a phrase, I didn't quit _because_ of you; I quit _thanks_ to you." The Faunus smirked even as she rolled her eyes; how her girlfriend always managed to turn things around on her would never cease to amaze her. "Like I said, things changed for me. I want a relationship, one that I can dedicate more time to, and my previous schedule wasn't conducive to that." With a nod of finality, she continued. "I've made my decision; this is what I want. Besides, between the two of us, I at least _have_ the option to go back."

"Would you ever want to? Go back, I mean." Her curiosity got the better of her, reaching up to bury her fingers in raven locks and gently tilting her head so their gazes met. "I'll support you either way, whichever choice- it's your to make."

"I know… but, honestly, no." She smiled, giving a little shrug. "Even if you got the graveyard shift somewhere, and we were right back where we were two weeks ago, that chapter of my life is closed."

Doubt and guilt lingered at the back of her mind. "You know I never would've asked you to quit, right?"

"I do," Blake replied, chuckling softly. "I think even if it _did_ start to bother you, you wouldn't have said a word- too stubborn, too used to covering your emotions. It started bothering _me_ , though, so in a lot of ways, my hands were tied." She winked. "Figuratively, of course."

She shook her head, unable to hide her smile. It didn't matter if it was a result of the play on words or the giddy feeling coursing through her. By the nature of the occupation, politicians didn't like change or the unknown, doing their level best to orchestrate every little detail so no surprises would crop up. However, since she began dating her girlfriend, Weiss found that she rather liked the occasional surprise, looking into the unknown, being unsure of how things might go and doing it anyway. Life didn't like being planned out, manipulated, or held down, and neither did she. Not anymore.

"I hope it goes well," the woman said, pressing a soft kiss to Blake's cheek. "After all, being awake during the day isn't always the greatest thing in the world; that's when all the people are out, you know."

"Well, it also happens to be when my favorite person is out, so I think that's an even trade," the Faunus replied, sneaking a kiss of her own against pale lips, the two of them laughing and just holding each other for a few moments more. Eventually, her girlfriend pulled away, getting to her feet and holding out a hand. "It makes grocery shopping a bit more hectic, though. How about we go brave the supermarket together?"

She accepted the hand but offered an apologetic smile. "As tempting as that is, I should probably check in at the hotel."

"Hotel?" Blake furrowed her brows. "What hotel?"

"The… one I'll be staying at?" She chuckled, unsure why her girlfriend seemed so confused.

The Faunus shook her head. "Allow me to rephrase; why are you going to a hotel when you could stay here instead?"

She blinked, taken off guard by the offer as she tried to mentally work out how, exactly, that would work. Growing up in the Governor's mansion left her with a very… underdeveloped understanding of how normal people cohabitate a living space, especially one as relatively small as this one. "I… wouldn't want to impose on your couch-"

"You'll be sleeping in the bed, Weiss," she replied with a curl to her lips. "The same one I'll be sleeping in, or did you forget that 'waking up with you' is one of those things on my to-do list now?" Then the Faunus shrugged, continuing in a nonchalant tone that did nothing to disguise the hope shining in amber eyes, ears quivering from effort to keep them from giving her true thoughts away too easily. "I mean, if you want to, of course. It's an offer."

A small thing, perhaps, but just another of the many reminders that, for all her professionalism in her now former line of work, Blake was nothing but genuine with her.

"One I'd be foolish to turn down." The moment the words left her mouth, she was wrapped up in a hug, several soft kisses pressed to her face that made her laugh initially, until she could control herself and turn her head to catch her girlfriend's lips. "I suppose that makes us roommates now, too?"

Blake nodded, brushing their noses together before stepping back, absolutely exuberant. "Come on, let's go to the store. You can unpack while I cook and we can figure out the rest of the details later."

"That sounds-" Just then, her scroll began pinging, causing her brows to furrow. She pulled it out, noting the news updates piling up one after another, settings she'd maintained during the course of her political career to remain one step ahead of the press whenever she was inevitably asked to comment her opinion on one subject or other.

Her brows rose, however, as instead of being any of the usual suspects- policies her father pushed or decried, the broader political situation in the country, foreign relations- it became rapidly apparent that Governor Schnee had just held his emergency press conference to explain her absence. She could only tell the content of his remarks by the headlines, the majority of which called into question the veracity of his claims and speculated at some unknown issue lurking just behind the scenes. Political commentators were already providing soundbites questioning her father's ethics and integrity, and while some gave him the benefit of the doubt, everyone seemed genuinely perplexed by whatever version of events the man had provided.

The steady flood of updates were brought to an immediate halt by the screen shifting to the call accept or decline screen, her father's contact information displayed at the top.

"Are you going to answer it?" Blake did her best to keep any inflection from her tone. "He might be calling to make amends."

"Fuck him," she replied, declining the call, which allowed the alerts to return full force, still rolling in and setting off the tone each time. "Fuck them." She silenced the device. "And fuck everything." She tossed it onto the couch, reaching out to instead interlace her fingers with her girlfriend's, tugging her towards the door. "When we get to the store, I'm going to ask for an application. Just something to get into the workforce will do for now."

The Faunus hesitated a moment, as if she doubted that Weiss could walk away from a chance to change things back, but the smile that claimed her lips left no question as to her thoughts regarding the present outcome. Together, they walked to the door, ready to take their first official step into their unknown future together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes, you just gotta make a change and fuck the consequences.

**Author's Note:**

> Ladies and gentlemen, Mama Schnee.


End file.
